These eels are usually less than a meter in length and are typically brown above and light brown to white below. They have small eyes and their body is snakelike with a distinctive tapered tail. The asian swamp eel typically feeds on worms, crustaceans, small fish and other aquatic organisms. (1)
Though hardy, the eels skin must stay moist for them to survive. In periods without rain the eels will bury themselves in mud in order to stay alive. The eels can be found in streamlets, canals, wetlands and other slow moving bodies of water. (3).
Asian Swamp Eel (Monopterus albus)
General Information
These eels are usually less than a meter in length and are typically brown above and light brown to white below. They have small eyes and their body is snakelike with a distinctive tapered tail. The asian swamp eel typically feeds on worms, crustaceans, small fish and other aquatic organisms. (1)
Detailed Description (Life Cycle / Reproduction)
Habitat and Distribution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aUB2OJi4uchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvJyBT-z2Ec
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-FZjcTaGYA
Though hardy, the eels skin must stay moist for them to survive. In periods without rain the eels will bury themselves in mud in order to stay alive. The eels can be found in streamlets, canals, wetlands and other slow moving bodies of water. (3).
Impacts
History
Control Measures
References
1. Prok, Jeanne. "Asian Swam Eel Increases in South." Freswater Foundation -
Aquatic Nuisance Species Digest 4.1 (Nov. 2000): 5. 12 Nov. 2008
<http://anstaskforce.gov/ANSDigest-Feb01.pdf#page=5>.
2. "Monopterus albus" Wikipedia. 24 Spet. 2008.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_swamp_eel
3. http://fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=4663
4. http://www.anstaskforce.gov/spoc/swamp_eel.php
5. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/invasives/asianswampeel.pdf -------------------- impacts